Sunday, March 1, 2009

HUGE news

Well, I hope you're sitting down because this is the biggest news ever. I mean it. This is HUGE.

Eliot said her first word on Friday. That's right. Her first perfect, beautiful word with a VERY clear voice.

Now, for those of you who are just catching on to the Eliot Axt saga, you probably think that a 14-month old baby should have babbled long ago, but . . . to put it mildly, sweet baby girl has had "issues" with her throat.

No one can forget Eliot's dramatic heart surgery in January '08 that saved her life, but paralyzed her left vocal cord. (God those days were rough.) We had already researched a procedure to pump her paralyzed cord full of collagen to give her a voice before she went to kindergarten in four years. FOUR years!!??!

Add to this a severe case of acid reflux that causes Elie to spit up over twenty times a day and gives her a constant swollen, sore throat. Here is a baby who completely gave up eating and using her voice because, quite simply, it just hurt. She has never muttered anything even remotely close to a comprehensible word. Ever.

Plus, there was talk - ironically, just last week - that there might be a neurological problem behind Elie's lack of talking. Possibly her brain wasn't able to process that her mouth and breath needed to work simultaneously. "Imagine watching someone run and having no idea where to start." That's how the therapist explained it to me.

So, not only is Elie crawling all over the house AND talking now, her reflux also seems to be calming down a bit (I am knocking on wood as I write this because I SO want it to be true, and not just me making up PollyAnna scenarios in my head). Could it be? Could it be that things are starting to come together for Elie Mak? Please, please, please.

I've got a clip to share of Eliot saying ma-ma. She is also saying ba-ba (her grandfather's name), but I haven't caught that on tape yet. But, you know what? Only having one word - this word - her first word - caught forever on tape . . . well, forgive me for being selfish, but ma-ma is just fine with me.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

She is making such progress each time we visit your blog! ma-ma must be so proud :) We are!

Anonymous said...

So I was just watching this with Seph, and he said "that baby girl can say words."

Yes she can, Seph. Yes she can.

paigehightower said...

Lauren and I just cried and cried. What a beautiful sound!!

Rachael M. said...

Wow. I think this is only the tip of the iceberg for what she's going to do to prove "them" wrong.

Stacie said...

That was a beautiful video! Way to go Elie!

And hugs to you...I think I can relate to how very good a milestone like this feels. :-)

LJ said...

That's the most beautiful first word I have ever heard...and, trust me, I've heard a LOT of first words in my line of work. I am so happy for you guys. Nothing is going to stop that pretty girl now.

Anonymous said...

Prrrrrrecious.